According to statistics South Africa, in the second quarter of 2023, the unemployment rate in South Africa is at 32.6%. Could Bob-A-Job be the solution to our problem?

What is Bob-A-Job? Bob-A-Job refers to the trading of services for money, or payment in kind. It is currently happening in communities around the country. With the rate of South Africans having to leave school for various reasons on the rise, how do we raise awareness and expand on this kind of self-employment?

The curriculum should teach people things such as basic healthcare, cleaning, social care, community involvement and/or exchanges. Yet, the current education system is often criticised for being outdated and irrelevant to the needs of students and society.

Examples of this can be found within subjects such as pure mathematics, technical mathematics, technology, history, and geography, which many students often have no use for after high school.

Reflecting on the number of people who are referred to as “NEETS” (Not in Employment, Education or Training), we must ask if the system we live under has failed communities? If so, in what way and what can we do?

Bob-A-Job could be one of the answers. It helps people earn money immediately, so they don’t have to wait for the middle or end of the month to be paid. How can people eat, and how are they supposed to travel and provide for themselves and their families while waiting to get paid?

Bob-A-Job proposes the idea that we bring back the age-old culture of what is locally known as “piece-jobs" in our communities. We can make use of our community neighbourhood watches to facilitate and organise these activities. Bob-A-Job shows promise for helping people to survive in this economy.

Community colleges are spaces where learners aged 18 to 45 have an opportunity to learn various skills that can help to reduce the rate of unemployment. However, learnerships are only available for those aged 18 to 35 years old leaving many youth with only a certificate – so Bob’s your uncle.